As a result of the advancement of network technologies, the network systems of various types and scales have been developed. Small-scale heterogeneous network systems (e.g., home network systems) are just one kind of network system that have experienced rapid development over recent years. A small-scale heterogeneous network system comprises a limited number of network apparatuses, but often comprises various different kinds of network apparatuses (e.g., set top boxes, smart TVs, tablet computers, smartphones, digital video players and notebook computers). Network communication standards supported by these network apparatuses are not all the same (i.e., the interface types of the transceiving interfaces of these network apparatuses are not all the same). For example, it is possible that in a small-scale heterogeneous network system, some network apparatuses have Power Line Communication (PLC) interfaces and Wi-Fi interfaces while other network apparatuses have Ethernet interfaces and Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) interfaces. Currently, protocols for integrating such different interfaces have been available (e.g., the IEEE 1905.1 Standard, the IEEE 1905.1a Standard, and the ITU-T G.hn protocol). These protocols can collect transmission information of interface types of the transceiving interfaces in the lower layers.
Path selection (i.e., how to select the most appropriate path when a network apparatus is to perform transmission with another network apparatus) is a common topic in various network systems. There are some available path selection technologies for homogeneous network systems (i.e., all network apparatuses of which support a same network communication standard, e.g., the Ethernet or a network system formed by optical fibers). In a homogeneous network system, a network apparatus can select a possible transmission path in a greedy mechanism through a next hop according to related communication protocols such as routing or bridging. These mechanisms may be classified into either a distance vector algorithm or link state algorithm. Details of the distance vector algorithm and the link state algorithm shall be well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, so no further description will be made herein.
Although two kinds of path selection mechanisms (i.e., the distance vector algorithm and the link state algorithm) are currently available, it is difficult to apply these algorithms to heterogeneous network systems. The main reason is that network communication standards supported by the network apparatuses in the heterogeneous network system are not all the same, so the dynamic link relationships are relatively complex. Each time there is a network apparatus joining in and/or leaving the heterogeneous network system, the topology and the link relationships of the heterogeneous network system change significantly. If the distance vector algorithm or the link state algorithm is adopted directly for path selection in the heterogeneous network system, it is often impossible to get the most appropriate path (i.e., the path with the lowest cost).
Accordingly, it is important to provide an efficient path selection mechanism for network apparatuses in a heterogeneous network system.